India coach Gautam Gambhir believes that international cricket is not for the development of cricketers. Instead, he feels that cricketers should be developed in domestic cricket before coming to the national team.
India currently have a world-class all-rounder in Hardik Pandya, but fitness concerns have kept him out of the Test team. The former India opener spoke about the issue a day before India’s first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.
Gautam Gambhir reacts to India’s search for a fast bowling all-rounder
Speaking ahead of the first Test between India and Bangladesh, Gautam Gambhir was asked about India’s world-class fast bowling all-rounder.
Gautam Gambhir felt that international cricket is not for the development of cricketers and they should be nurtured first in domestic cricket before being selected for India. He was pleased with India’s current crop of brilliant yet spin-bowling all-rounders.
“First of all, international cricket is not about development. We have been talking since Kapil Dev. We have domestic cricket to define them. If we don’t have it, so be it. We have cricket all-rounders in Ashwin, Jadeja, Akhar and Washington,” Gautam Gambhir said. .
India have been looking for a fast bowler for a long time now. Although they found Hardik Pandya as the match-winner, his ongoing fitness concerns kept him away from Test cricket.
Hardik Pandyan’s Test Record
In the early days of his playing career, Hardik showcased his talent with the red ball but had to stay away from the format due to constant fitness issues that prevented him from participating in other formats as well.
Hardik Pandya has played 11 Tests so far and scored 532 runs at an average of 31.29. He scored 1 hundred and 450 points in the tests. With the ball, he took 17 wickets at an average of 31.05. It also includes the famous five-wicket run at the Oval as it completed India’s famous overseas victory.
While Hardik Pandya could be a great addition for India in Test cricket, India have largely done well without his services in the longer format. As mentioned by Gambhir above, India has people like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are in contention for red ball cricket.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s excellence with the bat
Ashwin and Jadeja proved to be a legendary spin bowling duo for the Men in Blue Tests and earned them a no. of games. At home, they are almost certain to play in overseas conditions like England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, one of them could play.
Apart from being quality spinners, Ashwin and Jadeja have the ability to score big runs with the bat. Jadeja, in particular, has developed into a world-class all-rounder in the last few years.
Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Axar Patel also joined the list and showed his batting credentials in Test cricket. Youngster Washington Sundar didn’t play many Tests but played a key role in India’s famous win at the Gabba in the 2020-21 Australia tour.
